Process of preparing flax.



- No Drawing".

CFFEQE.

GEORGE H. CAMPBELL, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

PROCESS OF PREPARING FLA X.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Feb. a, tale.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. CAMPBELL, a citizen of Canada, and a resident of Toronto, in the county of York and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Preparing Flax, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the Preparation of flax from flax stalks, to be used in the textile, paper making, and other industries and consists essentially in applying ozonized air to the material, both for the purpose of loosening the incrusting or shive material, and also for the purpose of bleaching the resulting fiber to any desired extent, all as now will be explained, reference being had to the following specification and claims.

To carry this process into effect, flax stalks may be treated at any stage after cutting either with or without previous drying and also with or without a previous partial separation of shives. The material may also be treated while immersed in water or other suitable liquid or it may be treated without such immersion, being in the -latter case however confined in a closed space. While the material 1s immersed in water or other suitable liquid such as a very dilute,

solution of an alkaline carbonate, or bicarbonate or otherequivalent chemical, a stream of ozonized air, obtained by the use of any ordinary existing form of ozonizing apparatus is passed through the liquid. The operation is continued until the incrusting matter or'sliivematerial becomes suficiently brittle to be readily disintegrated and separated from the fibrous material to which it adheres. The operation may also be continued untilthe fiber becomes more or less bleached so as to be available for use without any other bleaching operation. Where a pentectly white fiber is desired the first operation is carried on only until the shive ma erial is loosened and then the ma-' which the resulting material may again besubjected to the action of czonized air either while it is suspended 1n a l1qu1d or suspended in the air in a closed chamber in Application filed March 11, 1310. Serial No. 548,702.

which it is slightly moistened by. spraying during the operation of bleaching. The operationpf loosening the shive material or rotting may also be carried on in the latter way, 2'. e., while the material is being suspended without immersion in' a liquid, and is moistened by spraying from time to time while the ozonized air is passed through the chamber. In either case the containing vessel is provided with an outlet for the air which has lRGIl used. After the shive material has been loosened, the flax treated is subjected to the various mechanical opera tions of breaking, scutching, etc. If the material has been converted into yarn or cloth before ret-ting, it is after the treatment of ozonized air dried and subjected'to mechanical manipulation by being passed through a breaking machine. provided with rollers having very fine corrugations or teeth, or the material may be beaten by suitable machines and passed between revolving brushes or bufiing wheels to remove disinte grated shive particles. In place ofimmersing the material in Water or spraying it with water, other suitable iiquids'may be used such as weak solutions of alkaline hydrates or carbonates. 4

This process has the advantage over other processes by means of which fiax of high grade is produced, in that it is quicker, is capable of being kept under perfect control, is more economical and produces a greater portion of finished flax. The bleaching act-ion is also thorough and quick, resulting also in increased tensile strength, flexibility and luster of the fiber.

When the flax is prepared for the making of high grade linen paper, dried flax stalks may first be broken, the broken material scutched and heckled and then subjected to the action of the ozonized air until the process of retting is completed, or until the material is both retted and bleached, when it' the. paper is immediately ready for use in making industry.

I t is evident that the material may first be immersed in water through which ozonized air is passed and afterward treated while suspended in a. chamber without iin- I mersion, or vice versa, without departing from the spirit of the invention. When the flax mater al. is suspended in a closed Chitin her without immersion, the ozonized air used may be first passed through Water before it reaches the treating chamber, in which case the spraying with water or other liquid may be dispensed with.

\Vhat I claim as new is:

1. In the art of preparing flax, the improvement which consists in subjecting unretl'ed flax material to the action of ozonized air within a confined space, continuing the operation until the material is rotted, and then separating shive material from the fibers.

2. In the art of preparing flax, the improvement which consists in immersing unretted flax material in an aqueous liquid, passing ozonized air through the liquid, continuing the operation until the material is rctted, and then separating shive material.

3. In the art of preparing flax, the improvement which consists in immersing unlttQCl flax material in alkaline solution, passing ozonized air through the liquid, con tinuing the operation until the material is rettetl, and then separating shive material.

4:. 1n the art of preparing flax, the im;

provement which consists in breaking unretted flax stalks, subjecting the broken material to the action of ozonized air, continuing the operation until the material is retted, and then separating sliive material.

5. In the art of preparing flax, the im provcment which consists in breaking unretted flax stalks, immersing the broken inatei-ial in an aqueous liquid, passing ozonized air through the liquid. continuing the operation until the material is rotted, and then separating shive material.

6. In the art of preparing flax, the inrprovement which consists in breaking unretted flaX- stalks, immersing the broken material in a liquid having an alkaline reaction, passing ozonized air through the liquid, continuing the operation until the material is retted, and then separating shi e material.

7. In the art of preparing flax, the im provement which consists in converting un retted flax material into yarn, immersing the yarn in an aqueous liquid, passing ozon ized air through the liquid until the material. is retted, and then separating shire material.

8. In the art of preparing flax, the in1- provement which consists in converting unretted flax fiber into yarn, immersing the yarn in an alkaline solution, passing ozonized air through the solution, continuing the operation until the material is rotted, and then separating shive material.

9. In the art of preparing flax, the im provement which consists in converting unretteoi flax fiber into yarn, subjecting the yarn to the action of ozonized air, continuing the operation until the material is rettcd :ind then separating shive material.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of N. Y. this 18th day of May A. D. 1909. V

GEORGE H. CAMPBELL.

'lVitnesses C. A. 0. Resume,

MABELLE A. DAVIS. 

